JERUSALEM (CNN) -- At times, he got raucous applause during his speech in Washington on Tuesday. But the reactions to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's message that may matter most came in Israel and Iran -- where emotions ran high, both in support and in opposition.

In an address before the U.S. Congress punctuated by one-liners, Netanyahu claimed that ongoing talks about Iran's nuclear program "would all but guarantee that Iran gets nuclear weapons, lots of them."

He portrayed Iran's leaders as untrustworthy and bloodthirsty, intent on annihilating Israel and threatening its allies.

That viewpoint, not surprisingly, didn't play well in Tehran.

While the speech wasn't carried live, Iranians quickly pounced with heated condemnations of Netanyahu and characterized him as a liar. TV banners labeled the speech an example of "Iranaphobia," with commentators saying that it humiliated U.S. President Barack Obama and deepened the wedge between Israel and its longtime allies.

"This speech was a sign of the weakness and extreme isolation of radical groups," Iranian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Marzieh Afkham said of what she called "a deceitful theater play."

"... The continued lies of Netanyahu regarding the aims and intentions of the peaceful nuclear program of Iran are repetitive and sickening," she said.

The reaction in Israel was more diverse, albeit predictable, reflecting the divisions there ahead of its March 17 election.

Isaac Herzog -- the Labor Party chairman hoping to become Israel's next Prime Minister -- said that Netanyahu's speech, "as impressive as it may be, did not prevent the Iranians' nuclear program" nor did it impact talks now underway in Montreux, Switzerland, to address it.

What the speech did accomplish, according to Herzog, is "greatly undermine ... the relationship between Israel and the United States," with Obama opposing Netanyahu's speech as a political move that threatened to thwart the nuclear talks.

"It will not change the position of (Obama's) administration and will only broaden the crisis of our great friend and our strategic ally," Herzog said of the speech. "That price, we will have to pay."

On the other side of the debate are people such as Danny Danon, a former Israel deputy defense minister.

"Prime Minister Netanyahu sounded the alarm for the survival of our country," Danon said from Jerusalem. "We are worried. And I am very proud of our prime minister, ... who said exactly what we feel: It is a bad deal."

Iranian deadline, election date loom

The speech and the reactions to it came ahead of a March 24 deadline in which negotiators from six world powers, plus Iran, are trying to reach a long-term deal about Iran's nuclear program.

That looming date is why Netanyahu said he was compelled to address Congress at the invitation of House Speaker John Boehner (and without the advance knowledge of Obama). Prior to boarding a plane Sunday in Tel Aviv, the Prime Minister called his foray to Washington "a crucial trip, even a historical one."

The Iranian nuclear deadline isn't the only one looming for Netanyahu, or even the most immediate one.

Because of Israeli elections in two weeks, the man who has called himself the "messenger of all the people of Israel" might not be that for much longer. While it happened some 6,000 miles away, his speech in Washington on Tuesday could sway hearts and minds back home -- some admiring his strong leadership in protecting Israel and others, like Herzog, upset over how he has roiled relations with Obama and undermined peace efforts.

Given Israeli election guidelines, TV networks pulled Herzog's speech from air for fear it could be construed as campaigning. Netanyahu's remarks were on a 5-minute delay for the same reason.

Nachshon Carmi said he is "totally" convinced Netanyahu primarily aimed to speak to voters at home as much as to affect the American government's decisions on Iran.

"I think this is a classic move of distracting the voters from domestic issues to foreign policy," Carmi said in Jerusalem.

A fellow Israeli citizen, Malynnda Littky, disagrees. She thinks that Netanyahu had every right to make his case in Washington if he believes an Iranian deal could affect Israel's future.

"He's giving a speech on a topic he knows a lot about and is important to us," Littky said. "But it's still just a speech."

Iranian minister: Netanyahu trying to disrupt talks

Given longstanding issues with the Palestinian territories and the fact that Israel is surrounded by nations with predominantly Muslim populations, Israeli leaders have ample experience with being isolated and on the defensive. They've also proven a willingness time and again to act out, if they feel doing so will safeguard their national security.

Iran has been a case in point.

Netanyahu has been the loudest voice in speaking about international efforts aimed at preventing Iran from developing a nuclear weapon. If the rest of the world can't act to stop this from happening, he's suggested, then Israel will.

There's precedent about how that might be done: Israel bombed Iraq's nuclear reactor in 1981. At the time, then-Prime Minister Menachem Begin drew a line in the sand, essentially vowing that no Israeli enemy could develop weapons of mass destruction and that Israel would defend itself "with all the means at our disposal."

That mentality is what appears to be driving Netanyahu, who has been adamant and consistent in expressing his distrust of Iran (whose supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, tweeted last year that Israel should be "annihilated.") The Prime Minister has been just as forthright in challenging international efforts to strike a deal with Tehran, an effort that's been accelerated since a more conciliatory Hassan Rouhani became Iran's president in 2013.

Several interim agreements have been made in recent months, though a long-term pact so far has been elusive. The Switzerland talks aim to bridge "gaps" between the various parties, with Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif telling CNN on Tuesday that "we're starting to move forward, but it's a lot of work."

"They are making their efforts to derail the deal," Ebtekar said of Israeli officials. "But I think the more logical lobbies on both sides are looking forward to a solution."

There is a widespread opinion in Iran that Netanyahu has long been singularly intent on going after Iran, even before he started his second stint as Prime Minister in 2009. His position is often conflated with that of the United States, a view that could be exacerbated by the loud reception Netanyahu got as he entered the chamber of the U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday and all the times cheers and applause interrupted his speech.

Of course, just because Iranians are mindful of what Netanyahu said doesn't mean they will change their minds.

In Israel, worries about U.S. relations

Changing minds in Israel, ahead of the coming election, is another matter.

Whether Tuesday's speech will do that can't be ascertained until there's credible polling after his remarks, or arguably once citizens go to the polls in two weeks.

Until then, polls from various Israeli news outlets suggest a tight race. Some project Netanyahu's Likud party winning fewer seats than the so-called Zionist alliance opposing him, though exactly who will end up as prime minister depends on which parties join forces after the votes are cast.

Most Israelis don't think that Netanyahu has any hope of impacting opinions and policies out of Iran with his speech, Bar-Ilan University professor Eytan Gilboa said.

But many are worried about what Gilboa calls the worst crisis in the decades-long relationship between Israel and the United States, with Tuesday's speech doing little to help change the perception "there is very little trust between" Obama and Netanyahu.

Speaking from Jerusalem, Carmi said he understands the depth of this division but doesn't think the damage is irreparable.

"The connection between Israel and the United States goes so deep and is on so many levels," he said. "Yes, we're going through a bad time. But we'll get over it."

CNN's Kate Bolduan reported from Jerusalem, and CNN's Greg Botelho wrote this story from Atlanta. CNN's Jim Sciutto contributed to this report from Switzerland, and CNN's Shirzad Bozorgmehr and Frederik Pleitgen from Tehran, Iran.

Unearthing America's truffle trove Friday, February 27 2015, 02:19 PM

WALLAND, Tennessee (CNN) -- Jim Sanford and his dog Tom poked around the hazelnut grove on Blackberry Farm, a 4,200-acre luxury resort set in the foggy foothills of Tennessee, one Wednesday morning in December.

They were on the hunt again, though not for deer or waterfowl or the usual Tennessee fare.

The man and his curly-haired dog were searching for something fancier: Tuber melanosporum or black Périgord truffles.

Black truffles are one of the most sought after (and expensive) delicacies in the world. Often referred to as a "black diamond," the subterranean fungus can retail for $1,000 a pound or cost a diner upward of $75 extra for a simple shaving on a dish of creamy pasta or slow-scrambled eggs.

Sanford and Tom's morning hunt proved fruitless. But the pair has had better luck than most sniffing out truffles on American soil -- a relatively new and wholly unpredictable ground for cultivation.

"This is not something where you just plant your trees and wait for your fortune to grow," Sanford said as Tom trotted behind him.

Truffles are a funny fungus; they grow underground, typically among hazelnut and oak trees, and keep most of their secrets there with them. There is a primitive understanding of the climactic and soil conditions required for the fungus to flourish, but cultivation methods are far from foolproof. Stateside, those practices are in their infancy.

Chefs such as Lachlan Mackinnon-Patterson of Frasca Food & Wine in Boulder, Colorado, certainly wouldn't mind sourcing truffles closer to home. He hosts a weekly truffle dinner series and features them prominently in dishes when in season.

Every year, he buys domestic truffles from budding regions like the Pacific Northwest, but the quality isn't as reliable as he'd like it to be.

"We're counting down the minutes," he said with a hopeful tone. "Once it clicks, whether it's Blackberry or someone else, once there's a tipping point, it will really blow up."

Enthusiasts describe the truffle's olfactory Siren song, which is part of its allure, as "dank," "earthy," "musky," "pungent" -- the gist is its aroma and taste are unparalleled. "It transforms an otherwise ordinary dish into something very extraordinary," Sanford said.

Different types of truffles are found all over the world, but the Périgord and white variety from Alba, Italy, are the top dogs of the gastronomic set.

The elusive truffle hunt is often romanticized: Man and beast wander into the woods of southwest France with a shovel and a calling. A bird chips, a breeze flows and the storybook closes with "happily ever after."

If only it were that simple.

Until recently, the black truffle had been solely imported to the United States.

Less than 100 miles away from Blackberry Farm -- in Chuckey, Tennesee, of all places -- that began to change around 2007.

It all started with another Tom. Tom Michaels, who grew up mushroom hunting and wrote his Ph.D. dissertation at Oregon State University on black truffle cultivation, set his eyes on eastern Tennessee to try out his fungal knowhow in 1999.

As if the truffle business doesn't sound risky enough, it takes about six to 10 years for a tree with roots that have been inoculated with truffle spores to potentially produce a truffle. The season for harvesting runs three months from December to February.

"I'll have done everything to two trees next to each other, and one will have truffles and one won't," Michaels said.

Luckily for Michaels, something clicked.

Soon, he showed up at the kitchen of Blackberry Farm's restaurants with his basket of epicurean delights and a brochure for Tennessee truffles, though it was only his third sale.

The first question from proprietor Sam Beall: "How come I didn't know about this?"

Beall and Michaels teamed up to seed and sniff out truffles locally.

Enter the four-legged Tom, who was sourced by local breeder Hilarie Gibbs-Sykes from Italy to simplify the hunt.

Sanford, a Blackberry employee for 14-plus years who had previously run the resort's horse program, was recruited to handle the truffle-hunting canine.

At the height of Michaels's truffle business, Tom helped haul in 200 pounds in one season.

"It was a thousand dollars a pound so if you do the arithmetic, that's a good dog," Sanford said.

Mother Nature firmly in charge

In 2009, Michaels and his product were written up in GQ magazine, where food writer Alan Richman called it the "hillbilly truffle." Two years earlier, storied New York Times food writer Molly O'Neill devoted an entire column titled "Coveted, French, and Now in Tennessee" to his endeavors.

If we know anything about agriculture, though, it's that Mother Nature holds the reins.

Michaels' hazelnut trees were hit with blight after his initial success, and he had to start over with a new blight-resistant variety.

"You have to have a temperament that can deal with a lot of anxiety for many years," Michaels, 67, said.

Last year, Michaels yielded about 60 pounds on his land and sold the majority off to hyper-local ingredient-focused chefs such as Sean Brock in Charleston, South Carolina, and Linton Hopkins in Atlanta. This year, after a series of unseasonable cold snaps, and only a few days left in the season, he hasn't unearthed any truffles of sellable quality.

"Mother nature took its course," Michaels said with the matter-of-factness of someone who has been here before.

Back at Blackberry Farm, Sanford's pin that read "Truffle Dog Trainer" reflected the sun as he crouched beneath a tree to dig up a truffle-scented practice tube that Tom found. On the days when there isn't any luck, training is a commitment to the cause.

Blackberry found only one Périgord truffle last winter on its property.

If it seems like a wild goose chase, that's because it is. But Tom is a Lagotto Romagnolo; he not only enjoys the chase -- it's in his DNA. According to the American Kennel Club, Tom's breed is the only one recognized as a "specialized truffle searcher."

"We wouldn't be talking about any of this if it wasn't for Tom," Sanford said. "He has really put everything we're talking about in cultivating truffles in North America on the map."

Now 13 years old, Tom is passing the baton through his bloodline by breeding and sharing his skills. He and Sanford travel around the country to help train other canines in areas like Oregon with an eye on the truffle prize.

At Blackberry and every where else, they're hoping it's not a matter of if, but when, a consistent yield will happen.

DataSphere Technologies

KRXI-TV is proud to partner with DataSphere Technologies, Inc. DataSphere is responsible for powering our community calendar and offering geographically-targeted advertising opportunities across KRXI-TV. DataSphere, in partnership with over 100 television stations around the U.S., helps local businesses across the country raise their visibility, convert more customers, and gain a competitive edge with custom marketing packages targeted to specific neighborhoods and communities. For more information visit Datasphere.com

Bob Fisher begins his 17th year as President and CEO of the Nevada Broadcasters Association next month.

advertisement

Observations Air Times

KRXI

KAME

Saturday

6 AM

12 PM

Sunday

12:30 PM

6 AM

Comments/Suggestions

Do you have a comment about a previous show? How about a suggestion for a future show? Submit your comments and suggestions. Do you have a comment about a previous show? How about a suggestion for a future show? Submit your comments and suggestions.